Constitution of the Republic of Armenia

CHAPTER 9, TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

Article 115.

This Constitution enters into force based on the results of a referendum from the moment of official publication.

Article 116.

From the moment the Constitution enters into force:

1) The operation of the 1978 Constitution, along with the subsequent amendments and additions to it, as well as of the constitutional laws terminates.

2) Laws and other legal acts of the Republic of Armenia operate to the extent they do not contradict the Constitution.

3) The President of the Republic exercises the powers reserved to him by the Constitution. The Vice-President of the Republic, until the expiration of his powers, performs the instructions of the President of the Republic.

4) The National Assembly exercises the powers reserved to it by the Constitution. The provisions of the first part of Article 63 and the first part of Article 65 of the Constitution apply to the subsequent convocations of the National Assembly. Until then Articles 4 and 5 of the March 27, 1995 Constitutional Law are in operation.

5) Until the formation of the Constitutional Court international agreements are ratified without its finding.

6) Village, town, city, and county Councils' deputies and their executive bodies operate within the realm of their former powers until the termination of their powers and the adoption of legislation in accordance with the Constitution on regional government and bodies of self-government. The National Assembly keeps the right of no confidence of city and county council deputies until regional and self-government laws are passed.

7) Regional (urban) people's courts and the Supreme Court continue to operate within the realm of their former powers until the adoption of legislation on court structure and procedure and the formation of a new judicial system in accordance with the Constitution.

8) The state arbitration courts continue to operate within the realm of their former powers until the formation of an economic court.

9) The powers of judges of regional (urban) people's courts are extended for a period up to six months, during which the President of the Republic at the proposal of the Justice Council appoints for a period of three years the judges of regional (urban) people's courts.

10) The powers of members of the Supreme Court are extended until the formation of the Court of Appeals, but for no longer than three years.

11) Until the formation of a new judicial system included in the Justice Council are 11 members appointed by the President of the Republic, of whom two are legal scholars, six are judges and three are prosecutors. Three members each of the Council are appointed from judges of the regional (urban) people's courts and the Supreme Court with the procedure stipulated by Article 94 of the Constitution. The President of the Republic heads the Council. The Minister of Justice and the Chief Prosecutor are vice-presidents of the Council. The Justice Council exercises the powers reserved to it by the Constitution.

12) The prosecutor's office exercises the powers reserved to it by the Constitution in accordance with legislation currently in effect until the adoption of a law on the prosecutor's office.

13) The Supreme Court reviews court verdicts, judgments and rulings that have entered into legal force on the basis of appeals of the Chief Prosecutor and his deputies and lawyers with special licenses who are registered with the Supreme Court.

14) The previous procedure for searches and arrests is maintained until criminal procedure legislation is made to correspond to the Constitution.

Article 117.

The day the Constitution is adopted is declared a holiday, "Constitution Day."

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